A Law Banning Stun Guns is Ruled Unconstitutional
Cantara: Looks like an old remote control.
Quinn: Yeah, right.
Cantara: What’s the deal, Paul? Can we even own a stun gun in New York?
Paul: Well, up until yesterday, it would’ve been criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, but a federal judge came down yesterday and said that New Yorkers can own stun and taser guns. So, yes, [crosstalk 00:00:33].
Cantara: I mean just like that, I can go out and buy one?
Paul: So, here’s the rule. They deemed the law unconstitutional. New York had a law, one of only two or three states in the country, that banned these things, and of course, they were trying to get momentum to kind of have it continue. Judge came back and said that it’s unconstitutional to have such a law. So right now, you’re sort of in this in-between phase. I’d probably hold off in buying your gun, your taser.
Cantara: Yeah, but Easter’s coming up, Paul. What am I going to get the kids?
Quinn: Can I at least buy the holster?
Paul: Start shopping. Maybe put it on your kind of wish list.
Quinn: Can we get it [crosstalk 00:01:12] double shot, a double holster for a double stun gun?
Paul: It would not be illegal to own this at this point. So, yeah, I guess the light is green.
Cantara: All right, so we’ll watch this. I mean I didn’t even know people wanted stun guns, but Quinn told me…he listens to a lot of podcasts. Apparently, it’s big among murders and abductors.
Quinn: Murderers bury stun guns all around the country, the serial killers, and they just go and dig up their murder kit. That’s what I’m learning on this.
Paul: Well, it’s quiet. You know, it’s one of these things that they say is less dangerous than a gun, of course, but, sure, it could be used for bad also.
Quinn: How about a cattle prod? Can I have a cattle prod?
Cantara: It’s a good question.
Paul: I believe that’s legal in New York, yeah.
Quinn: And can I use it for what I would use the stun gun for? Because I think it could be a little more gangster-looking.
Paul: Again, you’ve got to look at what your motivations are and if you’re protecting yourself versus if you’re going out causing havoc. Really these stun guns, I mean what…the proponents of this thing [inaudible 00:02:09]…you know, it’s for home defense, less likely that, you know, if something goes wrong, you’re going to stun someone versus possibly shoot them. But really it was just a pushback from the second amendment. Second amendment right after the first amendment, that’s how important our Founding Fathers thought it was that we’d have the right to bear arms. And New York just always pushing the envelope but it just got pushed back, but we’ll see what happens.
Quinn: Be careful. That guy could flip it on you and stun you if you keep it in your house, too.
Cantara: But that’s like any weapon though, you know what I mean?
Quinn: I know.
Cantara: Hey, Paul…
Quinn: It’s a little less dramatic.
Cantara: It doesn’t look good for Michael Avenatti, huh?
Paul: Lots of things going wrong for him.
Cantara: How quickly the tide turns.
Quinn: Yeah, I mean I don’t know if we have any questions right now, but I mean…
Cantara: No, it looks shady.
Quinn: If he’s in jail, how does R. Kelly have a…the guy prosecuting him or taking him to the court, is it another guy?
Paul: They’ve got lots of guys.
Quinn: Okay, all right.
Paul: They just keep coming.
Cantara: That is messy.
Quinn: Paul Harding, my friend, from Martin, Harding, and Mazzotti. 1-800-LAW-1010.com, 1-800-LAW-1010 as well. Give him a call. Thanks, Paul.
Cantara: Thanks, Paul.
Paul: All right, guys, thank you.